Date-stamped : 16 Dec94 - 14:26
England (M.C.C.) v East Zone
Gauhati, Dec. 27, 28, 29, 1976 - Drawn

The match, which M.C.C. came close to winning,  was  particularly
significant  for Willis, who had been hindered by illness earlier
on the tour, reaching his peak. Bowling  very fast,  he   claimed
five   wickets  for  29  in the first innings.  While M.C.C. must
have been disturbed that  three  front-line  batsmen  in   Greig,
Brearley  and   Woolmer did not make runs, they were gratified by
success in other directions.

Randall and Tolchard each scored fifty and  Miller  was  not  out
with 41 as M.C.C. fought to build a total of 213 for 6 on a pitch
that really was made to the liking of the  Zone`s  spinners.   In
the second innings, Barlow made 61.

Doshi, left-arm orthodox,  and  Bhattacharjee,  bowling  quickish
off-spinners  with  an unusual action which the tourists` batsmen
had difficulty in deciphering, posed problems to the M.C.C..  The
home  side`s  batting  was less challenging.  Mukherjee, with 62,
and the former Test batsman Saxena sustained  the  first  innings
and  in  the   second,  when  Cope  looked  like running through,
Baharali rose to the occasion and enabled East Zone to stave  off
defeat  with three wickets remaining.

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